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9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

Instead of the exalted status the Corinthians thrusted upon the Apostles when they declared a "schism" status upon them, the Apostles saw themselves as anything but popular. Their view of the Apostles was so opposite the real view of themselves that it must have been quite a shock to the system when they received this stinging rebuke in this letter. Rather than being first, Paul understood that God had made the Apostles last, that is, God has not placed the Apostles in a reigning position such as the Corinthians thought themselves to be. The irony is that the Corinthians were trying to "reign," while their spiritual fathers and examples were publicly displayed as humble, despised men-men worthy of death. Paul also used the term, "us, the Apostles" in the widest sense to include not only Peter and himself but also Apollos (1:12) and perhaps other prominent Christian workers who were associated with the apostles.

Rather than being lifted to the heights and exalted by the world and the church, Paul made it clear that he understood that it was GOD who had doomed these men to death. Our view of church leaders is so unbiblical that it is anti-biblical, which makes it all the more disgusting to our God. Paul knew that it was GOD who was behind all of their sufferings and pains. This was by GOD's appointment and Paul understood it.

There was no exaltation of God's men in that time and the exaltation of church leaders today into this celebrity status has absolutely, no biblical model whatsoever. Therefore we are forced to conclude t ...

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